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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27569848">Manifest Destiny</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elzzif99/pseuds/Elzzif99'>Elzzif99</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Manifest Destiny [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Trek, Star Trek: Discovery</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Betrayal, Breathplay, Dirty Talk, Drama, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Jealousy, Megalomania, Oral Sex, Revenge, Romance, Smut, Vaginal Fingering</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 20:34:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>10,841</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27569848</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elzzif99/pseuds/Elzzif99</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“I see you, Michael Burnham…and I’m offering you a future. I have since the day I brought you onto the Discovery. Take it.”</p><p>A look inside Gabriel's head during the events leading up to his betrayal, interspersed with flashbacks and snippets of Michael's POV.</p><p>Canon divergence starting at "Despite Yourself" and onward.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Michael Burnham/Gabriel Lorca | Mirror Gabriel Lorca</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Manifest Destiny [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2210895</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>48</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Royalty</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Star Trek: Discovery and various quotes from the episodes are not mine in any form and I don’t profit from this.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Blink! You're in Ilari. Blink! The moons of Andoria. Blink! You missed Romulus."</p>
<p>In spite of his name, Gabriel had never retained a high opinion of religion. The thought of supplicating at the altar of some mythical deity was ridiculous and unworthy of his time. Besides, conviction in the divine was a crutch for those too weak to make it through life on their own merit.</p>
<p>As he observes the scene unfolding before him, he reflects on whether he’s more fragile than he believed, or if his logic has been wrong all along.</p>
<p>The mycelium spores shimmer and glide around Burnham, playfully bidding her to traverse space and time. Beckoning her to run away with them to investigate every landscape, species, and culture to her heart’s content.</p>
<p>The exhilaration of endless exploration breathes life into her, chasing away her downtrodden exterior and suffusing her with a striking luminosity. Every fiber of Gabriel’s being is attuned to her, straining toward this marvel of beauty and majesty.</p>
<p>It was like he was truly seeing her for the first time.</p>
<p>His earlier experience with the dejected, lackluster soul who callously refused his offer to stay on <em>Discovery</em> had disturbed him. The request to go back to a life sentence as penance for her insurrection made him think he’d grossly overestimated the similarity in personalities between this universe and his.</p>
<p>The passionate, vibrant warrior he remembered, <em>his</em> Michael, would never have given a second thought to volunteer herself for any form of persecution. Had he been so wrapped up in his scheming that he neglected to take stock of who this Michael <em>was</em>, rather than who he imagined her to be? Was the essence of her identity really so divergent from the woman he’d loved?</p>
<p>He continues to study her intently, savoring the elation in those wide, chocolate-hued eyes. They’re alight with the gleam of curiosity and ambition as the hologram swirls around her and his previous concerns are quickly laid to rest.</p>
<p>The nurturing was different, but her nature was indisputably the same. It seems that in a grandiose display of benevolence, Destiny has bestowed upon him the most precious of gifts: a second chance.</p>
<p>A sure blessing, though he has never asked for it and certainly doesn’t deserve it.</p>
<p>Another chance with the woman he placed above all has transformed him into Destiny’s devoted disciple, his prior opinion of faith thrown by the wayside. If this was weakness, then so be it.</p>
<p>"All those planets, all those places…all those species seen and yet to be seen."</p>
<p>He snaps his fingers, simultaneously pressing the controls to disengage the reaction cube.</p>
<p>"And you're home like it never happened.”</p>
<p>Burnham blinks away the afterimages and slowly exits the cube, expression contemplative.</p>
<p>No matter how selfless and responsible she is, she’s too intrigued to let this opportunity slip by. For every version of Michael Burnham that exists, he’d bet his life that she possesses an insatiable thirst for knowledge. He knows in his bones that this one is no exception.</p>
<p>
  <em>If you let me, I can give you more than you ever dreamed possible.</em>
</p>
<p>Still absorbed in thought, she absentmindedly wanders over to him. He bites down on a smirk just as she looks up.</p>
<p>“I did choose you, but not for the reasons you think.”</p>
<p>The old story of the serpent in the Garden tempting Eve with the most forbidden of fruit isn’t lost on him.  </p>
<p>Burnham’s brows knit together briefly. The suspicious “why?” draped across her features is abundantly clear, but she refrains from asking aloud and he doesn’t elaborate.</p>
<p>He edges nearer, his eyes roving over her face before landing on her mouth. Her breath catches but she doesn’t retreat, pink tongue flickering out to moisten those plump lips.</p>
<p>Though none other than him would dare say so, her mutinous decision that kicked off the war was admirable and completely necessary. Starfleet rebuked that sort of methodology, believing it to be too individualistic and warmongering.</p>
<p>They were delusional, sanctimonious fools.</p>
<p>Michael had done what she had in an attempt to save more than just herself. Rather than simply punish her for an action they deemed unrepresentative of Starfleet ideals, they’d chosen to utterly destroy her. Ruthlessly dismantling her hard earned career. Stripping her of her freedom.</p>
<p>Forcing her into a lifetime of solitude and a future full of misery.</p>
<p>“What you did that day at the Binaries-”</p>
<p>He breaks off, recognizing the self-loathing that skirts across her visage, her head bowing in shame. Before he can catch himself, his hand darts out, fingers grasping her gently under the chin to raise her eyes to his again.</p>
<p>“That’s the kinda thinkin’ I need next to me,” he murmurs, southern drawl deepening with a hint of arousal as his thumb softly strokes her chin.</p>
<p>“Universal law is for lackeys. Context…is for <em>kings</em>.”</p>
<p>
  <em>And you are nothing if not royalty, darlin’.</em>
</p>
<p>He drops his hand from her face and retrieves a fortune cookie from his pocket.</p>
<p>“What do you wish for? Atonement? Redemption? Maybe the reassurance that the captain you lost didn’t die in vain?”</p>
<p>A second wave of shame, followed by regret flares in her eyes so fleetingly, he almost misses it.</p>
<p>
  <em>Captain Georgiou still a sore subject then.</em>
</p>
<p>He files it away as something to think on later.</p>
<p>He steps forward ever so slightly and closes the distance between them, his gold and navy clad chest grazing the front of her prison garb. She tenses, not in fear but anticipation, as her body understands what her mind does not. He inhales, taking in the scent of standard issue soap and the underlying notes of a fragrance he never thought he’d encounter again.</p>
<p>For a split second he’s back home: Michael’s strong legs wrapped around his waist, his nose and lips buried in the skin of her neck, the furious slap of flesh on flesh resounding loudly as he fucks her against the wall. The feel of her hot, wet tongue tracing the rim of his ear before slipping inside to drive him crazy, his fingers grasping for a tighter hold along the sweat-slicked skin of her thighs.</p>
<p>His eyes flicker open and he knows Burnham can see the darkening storm of lust in his gaze. A shiver dances along her spine and his head tilts to one side as he considers if she’s responding to his stare or his sensory memory.</p>
<p>After all, stranger things had happened. Like being transported to another dimension during an ion storm.</p>
<p>
  <em>Focus, Gabriel.</em>
</p>
<p>He takes a half step back, his eyes still locked on hers and she releases the breath she was holding. Pinching the cookie between his thumb and index finger, he presents it to her.</p>
<p>
  <em>One last push and she’s yours.</em>
</p>
<p>“You helped start a war. Don’t you wanna help me end it?”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So, there you have it. Chapter uno. Drop me a line or throw some kudos my way if you liked it.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Logician</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey there. If you're new to my story, welcome. If not, thanks for coming back. Updates will be sporadic so please don't take this as a sign of me posting every week. Much as I'd like to, this stuff takes time. Subscribe if you like.</p>
<p>Special thanks to AGDoren for letting me bounce ideas off of her. Hope you enjoy.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
<p>“Lieutenant Tyler, prep a boarding party for the Klingon ship. Two people, in and out,” Gabriel orders while walking swiftly to the Captain’s chair.</p>
<p>The pieces are finally starting to fall into place.</p>
<p>With Stamets navigating the 133 jumps to generate the cloaking algorithm data for the admiralty, he’ll have enough information to determine the coordinates to get home.</p>
<p>All while whipping some Klingon ass and playing goodie two-shoes by saving the inhabitants of Pahvo.</p>
<p>Such a shame no one could appreciate the depth of his resourcefulness.</p>
<p>“I recommend Specialist Burnham accompany me, sir.”</p>
<p>The pit of his stomach drops, relocating somewhere near his ankles and he turns on the spot to frown at the lieutenant.</p>
<p>“Out of the question. It’s too dangerous.”</p>
<p>
  <em>Too dangerous, Gabriel? For a prisoner Starfleet considers expendable and clearly doesn’t give a shit about?  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Might as well get down on bended knee and confess your undying love for her right now. Go ahead and tell them you’re a fraud, too.</em>
</p>
<p>He pivots crisply, striding away from Tyler’s alarmingly sensible suggestion while mentally preparing for Burnham.</p>
<p>Right on cue, the sharp footfalls of her boots stalk him across the bridge. Before he can even sit down, she’s <em>there</em> and launches into her spiel.</p>
<p>“The effectiveness of our sensors depends on their placement…only one location will work. Lieutenant Tyler doesn’t know how to access it. I do.”</p>
<p>“Then you’ll tell someone else where it is. You’re not going.”</p>
<p>He lowers himself into his chair with a grunt.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>You’re not going.</em>
</p>
<p>The words take him back as the picture of a bratty, fourteen-year-old Michael flits through his mind: fists clenched, eyes glaring and lips pursed in displeasure.</p>
<p>She had asked for permission to join the raiding party that would soon be dispatched to eliminate a rebel settlement rumored to be on Talos IV. He’d vetoed it instantly, claiming she wasn’t wholly prepared for the complexities of warfare at that level.</p>
<p>The dismissal had rolled off his tongue before she could even finish wheedling him, and he’d mentally chastised himself. A sidelong glance at Michael revealed she was puffing up, her nostrils flaring with rage. He was in for it now.</p>
<p>With only four years of training under his tutelage, it was evident the girl was a prodigy; an unnervingly quick study with a shrewdness for strategy and a fierce competitive streak. With everything she did, the process was the same: learn, practice, excel.</p>
<p>But like most Terrans, her sense of accomplishment brought along a proclivity for arrogance.</p>
<p>A little hubris was fine until it led to complacency, which eventually led to fuck-ups.</p>
<p>Despite earlier teachings, Michael hadn’t managed to fully comprehend how to walk the line of confidence and caution, and it was in his ward’s best interest to be reminded she wasn’t infallible. As Philippa’s heir, her life was coveted inside of the Empire almost as much as it was outside of it.</p>
<p>She’d suddenly paused in the middle of her diatribe to catch her breath. He’d used those few seconds of blessed silence to toss her over his shoulder and head to <em>Charon’s</em> combat training facility.</p>
<p>
  <em>“I can’t believe you Gabriel! First you reject a golden opportunity for me to train, then you demean my status as your future superior by treating me like a child!”</em>
</p>
<p>She’d continued to criticize him as he quietly trekked through the ship, her ranting occasionally peppered with the command “<em>put me down</em>” and threats of “<em>I’ll</em> <em>report you to my mother</em>.”</p>
<p>By the time they’d arrived she had deflated significantly, her anger giving way to a petulant sulk as he placed her on her feet.</p>
<p>He’d bowed mockingly and his lips twisted into a playful smile that Michael didn’t return. Not wanting to aggravate her further, he'd backed away, expression melting into a look of intense focus as he settled into an offensive stance. She’d matched him immediately, her body practically buzzing with the need to have a go at him.</p>
<p>From then on, he’d attempted to drill into her the importance of<em> vigilance </em>and tempering one’s ego as often and unexpectedly as possible.</p>
<p>It was the one lesson she’d failed to master.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sir?”</p>
<p>The respectful voice at his side pulls him into the present and he sighs in frustration. He’s out of patience and he hopes Burnham will avoid making a production out of this.</p>
<p>Experience tells him she’ll do no such thing. </p>
<p>“Sir, you offered me a place on this ship-”</p>
<p>“And now I’m ordering you to <em>stay</em>,” he snaps, blue eyes flashing in warning. “Is that understood?”</p>
<p>Burnham doesn’t answer and he can tell she’s a little shocked. It’s the first time he’s raised his voice at her.</p>
<p>It’s not enough to prevent her from reevaluating her approach and charging ahead with her rebuttal.</p>
<p>"You are the captain,” she states, her tone conveying just enough deference to abstain from being patronizing.</p>
<p>
  <em>Such a diplomat. Must’ve got that from the Vulcan.</em>
</p>
<p>“But you are <em>not</em> using the full resources to ensure the success of your mission!”</p>
<p>
  <em>Just drop it, Michael.</em>
</p>
<p>“There is no logic to your thinking! Unless…this is about me?" An interesting blend of confusion and comprehension crosses her face.</p>
<p>
  <em>Goddamnit!</em>
</p>
<p>Gabriel swivels in his chair, head cocked, a disbelieving glare aimed directly at her for this impromptu interrogation. She isn't cowed in the least, her forehead furrowed, jaw set defiantly as her inquiry hovers uncomfortably between them.</p>
<p>The tension of their confrontation swells, ballooning outward to encompass the entire room. He's painfully aware that everyone on the bridge is holding a collective breath, waiting to see what happens when the two most enigmatic people on the ship go head to head.</p>
<p>Until now, no one has <em>dared</em> defy a direct order from him. Let alone <em>twice</em>. Self-preservation instincts were strong within this crew and they knew that on <em>Discovery</em>, his rule was law.</p>
<p>But this was Burnham. Bold, beautiful, brilliant Burnham.</p>
<p>Defender of logic and the most irritating, argumentative thorn in his side.</p>
<p>Not only has she defied his orders in front of the crew and damn near exposed his feelings for her, but she’s also offered to throw herself into the clutches of the enemy!</p>
<p>She was more stubborn than anyone had the right to be and just as much of a smartass as her Terran counterpart had constantly proved to be.</p>
<p>But she also prided herself on learning from mistakes.</p>
<p>He suspected she wouldn’t oppose him a <em>third</em> time. Redemption was high on the list for her and she was cognizant that disobeying another captain would be immediate justification to send her back to prison. It could work to his advantage.</p>
<p>However, should he refuse to let her board the Ship of the Dead to plant the sensors, the crew might become distrustful of his leadership. He knew several members already assumed he had a soft spot for the mutineer turned science specialist.</p>
<p>
  <em>Special, indeed.</em>
</p>
<p>Regardless of how well liked she was, giving her preferential treatment more than he already had would only sow discord. He didn’t need anyone questioning his decisions.</p>
<p>Lips pressed into a thin line and teeth gritted, he analyzes the alternative.</p>
<p>Let her go. Risk her being captured, tortured and mutilated. As the murderer of the Klingon messiah T’Kuvma, her death would not be a quick one.</p>
<p>His eyes flash over to Mr. Saru and every other face on the bridge. The seconds tick by, his brain frantically comparing the potentialities of the mission’s success with her, versus without her.</p>
<p>
  <em>Fuck!</em>
</p>
<p>They <em>need</em> this. <em>He</em> needs it and unfortunately none of his arguments are reasonable enough to top hers.</p>
<p>She’s the best choice. They all know it.</p>
<p>Michael takes a step forward to address him again, dragging his mind away from the inner turmoil.</p>
<p>“I’m here on borrowed time,” she says softly. “When you asked me to stay, it was to help you win this war.”</p>
<p>
  <em>Check.</em>
</p>
<p>He turns to her again, mouth open to attempt to say something…<em> anything</em> to dissuade her, but no words form and she presses on.</p>
<p>“Given the time I spent on that Klingon vessel, I’m the most qualified crew member to place those sensors. Otherwise, I have no purpose here.”</p>
<p>
  <em>Mate. </em>
</p>
<p>He sighs heavily in defeat and reluctantly acquiesces.</p>
<p>“Fine. Execute the mission as ordered and get back here safely.”</p>
<p>Relief overtakes her and she thanks him, whisking off to prepare with Ash at her heels like some lovesick chump.</p>
<p>Gabriel stares after her, eyes unseeing and slumps further into his chair.</p>
<p>She has proven on multiple occasions that she’s by far one of the most capable crewmen on <em>Discovery</em>.</p>
<p>
  <em>She’ll make it. She has to.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In his mind’s eye, he can see it. The blaze of light, so bright it singes his retinas and obscures the surrounding stars. A radiant halo erupts, highlighting the debris being hurled from the center of the wreckage.</p>
<p>His head is throbbing, the stabbing pain from his eyes disorienting him and he stumbles, falling to all fours as the <em>Buran</em> buckles under the accompanying shockwave. His hands are clammy and trembling, pulse beating weakly in his throat and he tries to steady his breathing. The ringing in his ears starts to fade.</p>
<p>Sound rushes back to him all at once. The voice of his helmsman yells over the blaring alarms about the shields no longer holding under the <em>Charon</em>’s onslaught. Another voice shouts that there’s catastrophic damage on all decks.</p>
<p>He knows he’s in shock, but his body is no longer responding. He can’t move. Can’t force his mouth to construct words. Frozen.</p>
<p>
  <em>That was…her shuttle. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>My darlin’. My Michael. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>No. Nonononono.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>She’s always so careful. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Always got a contingency.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>She would’ve known what that bitch was plotting.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>I… I just need to hurry and find her.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>In. Out. In. </em>
</p>
<p>Gabriel exhales shakily, knuckles going white as his hands clasp onto the arms of the chair to mask the tremors. Thankfully, the Kelpien isn’t watching him as is his habit and the rest of the crew are dedicated to their tasks. His anxiety goes unnoticed for now.</p>
<p>He works to calm himself but can still feel the dormant triumvirate of fear, worry and guilt begin to stir, slithering along his nerve endings to engulf and constrict his heart.</p>
<p>The last time he’d trusted her to make it back to him, she hadn’t.</p>
<p>
  <em>Please, Burnham. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>I can’t go through it again.</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Nexus</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Is the flight control malfunctioning?” he asks his science expert.</p><p>Silence.</p><p>He looks over, surprised at the lack of reply and realizes she hadn’t even heard him.</p><p>Her eyes are glued to the screen and her fingers are flying over her workstation, concentrating intensely on the relay from Tyler.</p><p>“Burnham?”</p><p>“There are no life signs in that wreckage lieutenant. You're all clear.”</p><p>She takes no notice of him and his brows converge, a lightning twinge of hurt and confusion crossing his face.</p><p>From the first time she set foot on his ship, whenever he spoke, she listened.</p><p>Now he waits for <em>her</em> to address <em>him</em>.</p><p>And is sorely disappointed.</p><p>She waits with bated breath, teeth worrying her lush bottom lip as she monitors the mission’s progress.</p><p>Gabriel’s head whips back and forth in puzzlement, switching from Michael’s strained countenance to the visuals from Ash’s feed.</p><p>
  <em>Why is she so uptight? She’s normally far more collected on a mission and it isn’t even her out there this time… </em>
</p><p>A few more tense moments pass and Ash seems to get a grip, finally proceeding to extract the data core as directed. Upon Tyler’s confirmation of obtaining the device, the tautness in Burnham’s body starts to incrementally fade and the realization dawns on him.</p><p>
  <em>Tyler, you rat bastard! </em>
</p><p>
  <em>I knew he was sniffing around too much, but I never thought she’d actually give him the time of day!</em>
</p><p>“Get it to engineering as fast as possible, lieutenant,” he grumbles, barely keeping the newfound animosity out of his voice.</p><p>He fidgets in his chair, mind clouding over as all the instances he’s witnessed Burnham and Tyler together come to the forefront.</p><p>Every mission he’s allowed them to cooperate on. The way Ash implicitly requested her as his partner for the cloaking data mission. The few times he glimpsed them walking the corridors of the ship or in the mess hall, all smiles and enthusiastically chattering away.</p><p>An ugly, disapproving sneer creeps across his face and he wants so badly to call her out for being interested in someone as empty-headed as Tyler.</p><p>Aside from their aversion to light, his eyes work just fine. He knows most of the crew members acknowledge that the lieutenant is handsome and quite fuckable.</p><p>
  <em>But is Michael that easily swayed by a pretty face?</em>
</p><p>Surely she’d determined that the boy was below her station and could never fulfill her expectations in a partner like <em>he</em> could.</p><p>Gabriel had been trying his best to downplay how he felt about her, not wanting to be too heavy-handed and tip her or anyone else off to his intentions until he was ready. But he’d thought he’d given her plenty of reasons why he was the best man for the job.</p><p>He was beyond good-looking. Assertive. Intelligent. Well-endowed, though she was currently unaware of that fact.</p><p>He’d rescued her from a <em>life sentence</em> in prison. Gave her a meaningful job on his bridge. Took her ideas into consideration every time she voiced her opinion. Attempted to keep her safe, including from herself.</p><p>He’d even provided her with the resources she needed to save that piece of shit Vulcan she called a father.</p><p>She needed someone who could challenge her.</p><p>Someone who could <em>handle</em> her.</p><p>He’d always encouraged Terran Michael to accept nothing but the best.</p><p>Clearly, that was a sentiment this one was severely lacking, but he’d be damned if he let her choose someone other than himself.</p><p>Especially <em>Tyler</em>.</p><p>
  <em>Not after all I’ve done to get here. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>But what the hell do I have to do to get through to her?!</em>
</p><p>A minute crawls by…two…before his temper gets the better of him and he’s springing from his seat, marching over to Burnham’s station.</p><p>It takes more effort than he expected to school his expression, melting from anger to annoyance, and managing to settle on cool indifference just as she turns to face him.</p><p>“You can relax, too. He's safe now.”</p><p>“Sir?”</p><p>Feigning ignorance of her concern for Ash doesn’t suit her, but it confirms everything he suspected.</p><p>He takes on a soft, admonishing tone reserved for her alone and begins to lecture, praying she can’t see through his shoddy excuse to vent his frustration.</p><p>“I need to know that I can rely on my crew to act professionally at all times. Particularly now. We’re in dangerous waters. So can I count on you, Burnham?”</p><p>Almond-shaped eyes narrow, searching his for the truth he can’t reveal to her yet.</p><p>"Yes sir," she affirms, the irritation laced with poorly disguised curiosity.</p><p>As if she doesn’t believe the only purpose for his speech was to reprehend her on leaving personal feelings off the bridge.</p><p>“Good.”</p><p>He strolls away, feeling a little lighter as his shitty mood starts to dissipate, even while her eyes burn into his back.</p><p>When she'd ignored him, he couldn’t stop his blood from igniting, temples throbbing with adrenaline and the primitive impulse to claim her attention.</p><p>As the old adage went, jealousy was an unpleasant trait to behold.</p><p>From a tactical perspective, he was absolutely right to point out her error.</p><p>It was necessary that she put aside her emotions and remain level-headed enough to carry out her duties. It was also imperative that she listen to her captain and await instruction at all times, which she’d failed to do.</p><p>
  <em>But you weren't speaking just as her captain, were you Gabriel?</em>
</p><p>Brushing the snide thought away, he turns over the conn to Saru and heads for his ready room.</p><p>Michael’s predilections may have forced his hand, but he’s all too eager to put his plans for her in motion.</p><p><em>If she needs me to spell it out for her, I’ll do it</em> <em> the best way I know how. </em></p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>The door to the ready room opens and Burnham comes in wearing a solemn expression, the earlier strain between them forgotten.</p><p>“Are we civilians? Do we get new uniforms? What?”</p><p>“We won’t be needing them, sir.”</p><p>She takes a deep breath. He can tell the burden of the news she has to deliver has been weighing on her.</p><p>“I finally found the files on our Terran counterparts. We’re not here,” she remarks somberly.</p><p>He allows a perplexed look to cross his face, asking, “Where are we?”</p><p>“I’m presumed dead. And you’re a fugitive wanted for my murder.”</p><p>He shifts uncomfortably as he pretends to absorb this information.</p><p>
  <em>Fugitive. Murder. That merciless snake Georgiou did her work well. But her time is coming.</em>
</p><p>“What happened?” he inquires forcefully, pinning Burnham with a heavy stare.</p><p>“Well, the intelligence is fragmented. Looks like most of it has been stolen from classified Terran files. But it appears that you and I enjoyed immense prestige here.”</p><p>His eyebrows raise skyward and she elucidates.</p><p>“I was the captain of the <em>Shenzhou</em>. And you had the <em>Buran</em> here too, sir.”</p><p>Gabriel swallows past the lump in his throat before continuing the line of questioning.</p><p>“And my crew? They alive?”</p><p>They’d died horribly and undeservedly but knowing what he did now, he was relieved he hadn’t gone down with them.</p><p>He still has a job to do. A promise to fulfill.</p><p>“No. You attempted a coup against the emperor. I was sent to stop you. In the process, my shuttle was destroyed by one of your followers and I was killed. And the emperor laid waste to your ship in retaliation. It’s believed you escaped.”</p><p>
  <em>No, that conniving, heartless monster blew up her only child because she didn’t like the guy her daughter fell in love with. </em>
</p><p>“Well there’s me hoping I’d find a better version of myself over here.”</p><p>He shakes his head in disbelief and a feigned bit of hopelessness.</p><p>
  <em>Wonder what happened to the other Lorca. Probably ended up on the fringes, dead somewhere. Better him than me.</em>
</p><p>He sidles over to the window, gazing out at the vastness.</p><p>“Look out there.”</p><p>He turns back and gestures for her to join him. “Come on.”</p><p>She indulges him, coming over to rest at his side and taking in the expansive view before them.</p><p>“Amazing, isn’t it? Different universe, but somehow the same people had a way to find each other.”</p><p>He surreptitiously angles himself toward her, watching the way the starlight sparkles in the rich, honey-brown pools of her eyes. Etching every detail of her into his mind for safekeeping.</p><p>“The strongest argument I’ve ever seen for the existence of destiny.”</p><p>If he ever gave a damn about poetry, it’d be in this moment.</p><p>Fate had carried him across time and space to find her.</p><p>It was almost sickeningly romantic. The two of them together, gazing quietly at the stars, like he had with the Terran iteration of her so many times before.</p><p>Could she feel the connection between them?</p><p>Feel the remnants of longing and uncertainty and anguish that had poured ceaselessly from his soul just to be near her? Hear how his heart drummed a song of jubilation in his chest after bringing her home with him?</p><p>At the time of Michael’s murder he felt he would go mad.</p><p>They had been constantly surrounded by death. Hell, they were usually harbingers of it. The two of them combined had wiped out thousands, maybe millions with not a care in the world.</p><p>But with her demise, the invisible blade of the reaper’s scythe had sliced through the bond they shared, fraying the ends irreparably. Carving a ragged, gaping hole in him where she’d previously resided.</p><p>Their reality playing out tragically like the star-crossed lovers in tales of old.</p><p>The horror he’d felt at the realization that she was gone had nearly consumed him. His mind and body starting to shut down in a last ditch attempt to preserve his sanity.</p><p>It was only Destiny’s sudden intervention that had kept him going. Kept him focused.</p><p>He’d wasted no time in bringing himself up to speed, filling his counterpart’s shoes and getting approved for duty to become the captain of <em>Discovery</em>.</p><p>Shaking fingers had typed in “Michael Burnham” to search the Federation’s records and those few seconds felt like they had shaved off years of his remaining lifespan.  </p><p>When the query came back with a personnel file containing the status “alive,” he’d dropped to his knees, a sob of pure gratitude escaping his lips.</p><p>She was here.</p><p>She was <em>alive </em>and within his reach<em>.</em></p><p>He’d vowed to do whatever he needed to get to her and make things right.</p><p>And now here they are.</p><p>“I’m not sure if I believe in destiny.”</p><p>He turns to look at her in mild astonishment and wants to laugh at the unimpressed skepticism on her face.</p><p>
  <em>A scientist through and through. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Always seeking some form of evidence for things to make sense.</em>
</p><p>When she made comments like that, her personality was parsecs away in comparison to the other Burnham’s. And yet, there were still times when the two were indistinguishable.</p><p>The tone of her voice dropping to that husky, insistent pitch when she was emphasizing a point. The haughty way she tilted her chin up when faced with a challenge.

</p><p>He’ll take his time and explore the facets of this Michael. Learn her ins and outs, fears and dreams, all while helping her adjust to this universe.</p><p>Her new home.</p><p>“Well, is that so?” he murmurs, a clever smile settling on his lips.</p><p>“Sittin’ in that cell all alone, facing a life sentence…”</p><p>His words taper off and he moves closer, letting his warm breath cascade over her.</p><p>“A little part of you had to know that wasn’t the end of your story. You were destined for something more,” he says, voice rumbling against the shell of her ear.</p><p>She exhales unsteadily, long lashes fluttering over her cheeks and goosebumps rising on her skin from his proximity. She turns to him and he can read the heat in her eyes, even as the gears in her head are turning.</p><p>“Destiny didn’t get me out of prison captain. You did that,” she says, her voice reducing to a whisper.</p><p>His lips quirk up, and he lines his face up with hers, their noses nearly touching.</p><p>“Well. Let’s agree to disagree. For now,” he breathes, the words ghosting over her mouth.</p><p>“Captain?”</p><p>“Shhhh.”</p><p>He kisses her.</p><p>Her warm, soft mouth follows his lead, moving gently beneath his own and he forces himself to retreat, lightly grazing his teeth over her full lower lip.</p><p>She gasps softly, arousal shining in her eyes and hands fisted in the jacket of his uniform, urging him to continue.</p><p>He nips at her harder this time, soothing the love bites with his tongue and running it across to coax her to open up.</p><p>She lets him in, their tongues sliding languidly against one another, the little noises in the back of her throat going straight to his cock.</p><p>He reaches for the small of her back, pulling her flush against him, his other hand burying itself in her hair.</p><p>She’s so <em>sweet</em>.</p><p>A nectar so potent he feels drunk off the first few sips of her.</p><p>An addict getting his fix after going without for so long.</p><p>He pulls the tab down on the zipper of her top, revealing her petite frame in her undershirt. A hand slides up to rest just under her breast, lightly stroking the delicate curve through the fabric.</p><p>She moans into his mouth and opens her eyes to reveal dark orbs hazy with need.</p><p>
  <em>So responsive. So perfect. You have no idea how much I needed you, darlin’.</em>
</p><p>She pulls away breathlessly and he relishes the sight of her, lips swollen and a flush emerging under that warm, brown skin.</p><p>“Captain, I…We can’t…What are we doing? This is inappropriate and against regulations.”</p><p>She looks at him as sternly as she can manage after being so thoroughly kissed.</p><p>“Regulations? Michael, we have no idea what may happen from this point on. I hate to use clichés, but life is fucking short. To hell with the regulations.”</p><p>Her forehead scrunches up as she thinks on what he said and he steps back into her personal space.</p><p>“We might make it back or never find our way home at all. We could die in battle here, or our cover may blow up in our faces and leave us at the mercy of the Terrans.”</p><p>He places his hand on her waist, thick fingers gripping firmly to pull her tightly against him. Her hands fly up, fingers landing splayed across his firm chest.</p><p>“All I ask is that you meet me halfway and give this…give<em> us</em> a chance. I know you feel it. Our connection. You’re drawn to me, just as I’m drawn to you. Don’t you want to see how deep it goes?”</p><p>He leans in for another kiss but her hands press insistently against him and he frowns.</p><p>“But if we do make it back we’d be jeopardizing your career. I’m technically still a prisoner. You’d be court-martialed. I refuse to let you face any repercussions because of me.”</p><p>“Michael, I’m no damsel. I don’t need saving. I know what the consequences are and frankly, I don’t give a damn.”</p><p>He lifts up a hand to drag his thumb lightly across her fine-boned jaw, but she’s starting to get that mulish look in her eye.</p><p>“Listen. If we make it back and the war is still on, we’ll be heroes when we hand over the cloaking algorithm. No one is going to give us any lip for getting involved after going through such an unprecedented situation.”</p><p>He gently starts to guide her backwards, stopping when the back of her bumps into his desk.</p><p>“As for your status as a prisoner, I’d rather <em>die</em> than let them take you from me. We’ll figure something out when the time comes.”</p><p>His declaration catches her completely off guard, her mouth gaping in bewilderment and myriad questions forming behind her eyes.</p><p>
  <em>Gotta cut her off now before the inquisition starts.</em>
</p><p>“Do you trust me?”</p><p>He fixes her with a penetrating stare and she looks back in confusion.</p><p>“Care to elaborate?”</p><p>“No. You either trust me or you don’t. Which is it?”</p><p>Their gaze remains locked and the silence between them stretches for several heartbeats before she nods.</p><p>“I need to hear you say it, Michael.”</p><p>“Yes. I trust you,” she replies with no hesitancy.</p><p>“Excellent. Computer, deny all personnel entry to this room until further notice.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Poor Michael, losing prospective dates and getting chastised because Gabriel is a hot possessive jerk. </p><p>But who knew he was such a romantic, with all that flowery talk of destiny and stargazing? Full of surprises.</p><p>Can you smell smut on the horizon? I can. Sorry to leave it on a cliffhanger (psych!) but you'll just have to check back in!</p><p>Thanks for reading! :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Maelstrom</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi! Hope you all are enjoying the holidays. </p><p>So here we are! New tags and updated the rating to reflect the now explicit contents. </p><p>A big thank you to AGDoren for being my beta for this chapter!</p><p>I had to add some furniture in Lorca's sparse ass ready room to make this happen, but I think it was worth it ;)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <hr/><p><em>“</em><em>I </em> <em>need to hear you say it, Michael.”</em></p><p>
  <em>“Yes. I trust you,” she replies with no hesitancy.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Excellent. Computer, deny all personnel entry to this room until further notice.”</em>
</p><hr/><p>Michael’s brows shoot up in alarm and she tries to take a step back, once again bumping into Lorca’s desk. The nervousness wafting off her is nearly palpable. </p><p>He extends his arms on either side of her, resting his palms on the cool surface and effectively trapping her against it.</p><p>“Sir, what about the briefing? We have to inform Saru and the others of what we’ve learned. And we should form a plan as soon as possible before we’re apprehended,” she babbles.</p><p>He’s so <em> close</em>.</p><p>Intoxicating her with a delicious blend of soap, sweat and an elusive scent that she now recognizes as distinctly <em>him</em>.</p><p>His eyes sweep over her from top to bottom, something predatory glinting in their depths.</p><p>“I admire your concern and dedication Michael, but first…you said you trust me. I think it’s time you prove it,” he whispers, the words hovering a hair’s breadth from her lips. </p><p>He backs away slowly, shrugging out of his uniform jacket and peeling off the snug undershirt to toss them carelessly onto the floor. </p><p>She isn’t surprised to see the captain is well defined but not excessively muscular, like other men she notices in the gym. </p><p>He takes a seat on the rarely used chaise longue tucked in the corner and lifts his eyebrows expectantly.</p><p>A blatant half-invitation and half-demand that’s thrown her off-kilter. </p><p>For the first time, logic has forsaken her and left her utterly stranded. Forced to navigate the terra incognita of their attraction on instinct alone. </p><p>She isn’t sure if Lorca’s uncanny ability to thrill and terrify her in the same breath is a good thing, but his unpredictability only fuels her need to deconstruct him.</p><p>
  <em> What am I doing?  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Anyone could show up outside that door. It only takes one accusation and I’m headed back to prison. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> His reputation would be damaged forever.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Like mine.  </em>
</p><p>She glances at the man in question. </p><p>He’s casually draped over the lounge with a crooked smile on his lips. Comfortable and unbothered by his disheveled appearance: shirtless, legs spread and pants undone. </p><p>A living, breathing maelstrom of temptation. </p><p>Only his eyes give him away, pits of blue flame brimming with hunger as he waits for her to succumb to their mutual desire.</p><p>
  <em> I shouldn’t even be considering this. But I want him. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> I need to know what lies between us.  </em>
</p><p>Michael slips her jacket off and drops it alongside his, moving toward him with burgeoning confidence and coming to a halt between his tightly clad thighs.</p><p>The edge of her shirt lifts to expose her midriff and she grabs onto his shoulders to steady herself. Soft lips run over her skin, butterfly kisses mixed with heated open-mouthed ones that make her tingle. </p><p>
  <em> He’s barely touching me and I’m already wet. </em>
</p><p>“Don’t be afraid of what I want to give you, Michael. Anything you don’t like, I’ll stop. But don’t overthink it,” he mumbles against her skin. “Just feel.” </p><p>“Okay, but-” she gasps out as his tongue swirls beneath the edge of her waistband. “I just wanted to say…I’ve never…I haven’t been with anyone before. Like this. Ever.” </p><p>She leaves it at that and looks at him guardedly, heart pounding. He stops kissing and looks up at her, a slight frown creasing his forehead. </p><p>“Like this? You mean sex? You’re a <em> virgin</em>?” </p><p>The incredulity in his voice stings and she recoils, meeting his eyes with a hurt but steely glare.</p><p>“<em>Yes, I am. </em> My apologies if you thought you were getting someone experienced. Better luck with your next conquest.” </p><p>“Michael, wait!”</p><p>She backs away, intent on fleeing as quickly as possible when his large, strong hands ensnare her wrists.</p><p>“Hey! Come on, now. You’re puttin’ words in my mouth. Just hear me out,” he implores, his face clearly reflecting the internal clash of passion and frustration. </p><p>“Fine.”</p><p>“Look, I never said it was a bad thing. I’m just surprised. There’s no need to be defensive.” </p><p>No longer considering her a flight risk, he releases her, his hands dropping to caress her hips and toy with the placket of her pants.</p><p>“I don’t think you’re aware of the power you wield, darlin’. I figured you’d already had your way with whoever you wanted.”</p><p>He stands and gently grasps her chin to press a small kiss to the corner of her mouth. </p><p>“I couldn’t care less if you’ve been with fifty men or none at all. You’re mine now. There is no “next conquest.” You want me to stop, just say so. Alright?” </p><p>She nods, a little awestruck by the sincerity and possessiveness of his confession.</p><p>
  <em> I guess it was silly to jump to conclusions.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> What is going on with me?  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Why do I feel so out of control around him? </em>
</p><p>She’s pulled out of her musings as Lorca quickly strips out of his remaining clothing. Her eyes drift downward before snapping back up to his face, and she can feel the rush of heat flowing into her cheeks. </p><p>A cocky smirk flits over his mouth and he reaches out to help undress her.</p><p>The change in temperature makes her hair stand on end, but the feeling is eclipsed by his warmth as he tugs her into his arms. She moans at the skin-to-skin contact and can feel his stiff cock twitching against her thigh.</p><p>“You’re beautiful,” he whispers, voice tender and deep, as his eyes and hands roam over the creamy brown silk of her skin. </p><p>She stretches up to kiss him, lips pressing softly to his and winds her arms around his neck. It feels like she’s floating, the sensation heady as she slides her tongue inside, probing and tasting him. </p><p>He groans into her mouth, his hips bucking eagerly against hers and Michael breaks away, chest heaving as she tries to catch her breath. One push from him and she’s falling onto the lounge and he’s straddling her, his tongue plunging between her lips in another hot kiss.</p><p>“Oh, Michael. I’ve been waiting for this. You underneath me. The taste of your sweet pussy on my tongue.” </p><p>Her eyes widen in shock at his words but he doesn’t give her time to dwell on them.</p><p>Her skin is on <em> fire,</em> his lips planting frantic kisses along the curve of her neck and down her chest, fingers plucking at her nipples and her back arching to push further into his palms.</p><p>His touch is worshipful as he glides down, pink tongue spiraling over the dark peaks of her breasts and she writhes helplessly, her fingers slipping into his silky hair.</p><p>“<em>Ohhh, </em>that feels so-”</p><p>Her thought derails when he drags a long finger through her folds, teasing her clit with feather light pressure before dipping into her moist heat. </p><p>A sharp mewl rings out through the nearly empty room, and she belatedly realizes it came from her, his intrusion disappearing as swift as it came. </p><p>The sudden loss of him hits her acutely and she opens her eyes in time to see him slide that same finger into his mouth. </p><p>He moans obscenely, holding her gaze as he laps at it, his pupils blown in a haze of primal desire. </p><p>He pulls the digit out with a <em> pop</em>, mouthing “quiet” before he slides it back in, pushing deeper than before. </p><p>Agony and bliss. </p><p>The only way she can describe what he’s doing to her.</p><p>He knows <em> exactly </em> how to touch her, masterfully curling his finger against her spot, applying the perfect amount of pressure before adding a second. </p><p>She can feel those piercing blue eyes on her, raptly watching her every reaction. Every hitch of breath and curl of her toes, as he pumps her in a punishing rhythm that makes her body <em> sing</em>.</p><p>“<em>Unnnnhhhh!</em>”</p><p>“Shhh. You don’t wanna let people know what we’re doing, do you specialist?” he murmurs, his fingers sloshing noisily as she rides his hand. </p><p>A wicked smile plays across his mouth, sharpening with a sadistic edge when her teeth begin to shred her lips in an attempt to stifle a whimper.</p><p>“Can’t have them knowing you want me to slide into this deliciously tight cunt, hmm?” he asks, punctuating the question with a swipe of his thumb over her straining clit.</p><p>She yelps, shaking her head frantically while her hips buck in time with his fingers.</p><p>“No! Please captain!” she pants.</p><p>He chuckles darkly, retrieving his hand and she wants to howl in dissatisfaction as he slides down to level his face with her soaked entrance. </p><p>She feels his thumbs spreading her and inhales harshly when his breath hits her exposed seam. </p><p>“It’s all up to you, Michael. You can stay quiet…or let everyone on the bridge know how much you enjoy a good, hard fuck.”</p><p>He descends, the slick velvet of his tongue licking the length of her and she throws her head back so far she’s literally seeing stars, eyes wide and fixed on the cosmic vista outside.</p><p>A long, throaty moan bursts from her and she grinds her pussy into his face, mindlessly seeking the glory of his mouth and uncaring of whether he can breathe.</p><p>The rough clenching of her fingers in his hair makes him groan and the sound vibrates through her as he flicks his tongue against her clit in quick, torturous circles, two fingers diving into her again to hurl her toward ecstasy. </p><p>“Please! I can’t- <em>ahhhh</em>! <em>Captain,</em> <em>I can’t!</em>” she gasps, unable to articulate her dilemma, her nails leaving imprints on the forearm that’s holding her down.</p><p>He doesn’t relent, fingers and tongue furiously working her cunt until she explodes, barely choking back a moan, her come gushing into his mouth and soaking the cushion beneath her.</p><p>He removes his sinful appendages and raises his dripping face to hers. </p><p>“You taste absolutely divine. Like I knew you would,” Lorca says, wiping his chin and grinning as she descends from the high.</p><p>The musk of her sex on him is strong and he raises his hand to her lips, tracing and smearing them with her own essence.</p><p>“Clean me up.”</p><p>She stares at the creamy residue of her lust slathered on his fingers. The impulse to refuse flares up briefly, but is quickly quelled by her curiosity. She’s never been naughty enough to try herself, the thought triggering another rush of liquid heat between her legs.</p><p>She opens her mouth wide, flicking her tongue over the digits before greedily pulling them in, reveling in the taste. </p><p>Satisfied, he pulls them away and braces himself on either side of her. His cock is hot and heavy as he settles in the cradle of her thighs, lining himself up to enter. </p><p>“Tell me what you want, Michael.”</p><p>She glances down between their bodies, watching intently as the red, throbbing tip of him slides teasingly along her folds, up to her clit and back again. </p><p>“<em>Please sir, make me come again.” </em></p><p><em> “</em>Such a submissive little thing. If only you were like this on the bridge,” he says wistfully, amusement coloring his voice.</p><p>Michael squirms, her hips angling up to help guide him into her, but he shifts back, holding himself just out of reach.  She’s never wanted anything more in her life than she has right now. The need to be filled by this man is somehow more necessary than air.</p><p>“<em>Please. I want to feel you inside me.</em>”</p><p>A flash of heat in his eyes is her only warning as he breaches her, easing the head just past her swollen lips. </p><p>“Now how can I resist when you beg for my cock so sweetly? Tell me <em> who </em> you want,” he breathes, lips parted as he stills once again.</p><p>“<em>You, Gabriel! I need you</em>!” she sobs.</p><p>“That’s all I needed to hear, darlin’.”</p><p>A soft whine of relief breaks free of her lips as his thick length sinks into her inch by inch. </p><p>She feels so <em> full, </em>the pressure building to a point beyond her threshold and bringing tears to her eyes. The frightful thought she may not be able to take him is just starting to register when there’s a sudden burst of pain; a jarring, deep thrust tearing through her, his hand closing over her mouth to muffle her scream.</p><p>He stops, allowing her a moment to adjust, her walls throbbing around him before he moves again with shallow, gentle pumps of his hips. The pain gradually starts to recede and she relaxes into the motion, pleasure coming to the forefront once more and her legs fall open to receive him fully.</p><p>“That’s it. Take all of me,” he whispers, kissing her sweaty forehead and picking up the pace, the raw power behind his thrusts leaving her breathless. </p><p>He adjusts her legs, hitching one over his shoulder and sliding deeper than she ever knew she could handle.</p><p>“<em>Ohmygod</em>!”</p><p>“<em>There</em> <em>it is</em>. Michael’s little sweet spot,” he hums excitedly, rocking into her faster as her thighs quiver around him.</p><p>She feels a surge of wetness surround him and her hands slide down to his ass, gripping the firm cheeks, trying to pull him into her.</p><p>“<em>Ahhhh</em>! <em>Gabriel!</em> <em>Don’t stop</em>,” she pleads as she clings to him, nails digging into his skin and teeth sinking into her lip as the pleasure coiled inside demands release.</p><p>“I’m not. I’m going to fill this pretty cunt with my come. You’re gonna take it all and you’re not gonna make a sound,” he growls.</p><p>Without warning, the strong grasp of his fingers is around her neck, cutting off her oxygen and her eyes flash open. Her hands circle his wrist and she can feel the panic rising as his grip tightens.</p><p>“Let go, Michael. <em> Come for me.</em>”</p><p>Too far gone to worry about self-preservation, she drops her hands, snaking one of them between their sweaty bodies to rub her pulsing bundle of nerves in firm, rapid circles.</p><p>It’s all too much.</p><p>The fingers dancing on her clit. </p><p>The hand closed around her throat.</p><p>The steady, wet <em> smack </em> of him hitting. her. <em> spot</em>. </p><p>Her eyes roll back and she comes <em> hard, </em>the strongest orgasm of her life crashing over her and Lorca lets her gulp for air, his name tangled with raspy moans as she’s tossed round in a whirlpool of delirious rapture. </p><p>He pounds into her through the aftershocks, her well used pussy fluttering around him as he chases his own completion. She feels the muscles in his thighs spasm as he reaches it, a low grunt of “Oh, fuck! <em> Yes, Michael</em>!” in her ear as his thick, hot load spreads through her, her body milking him for every last drop.</p><p>Lost in the comedown of their shared euphoria, they fail to hear muted footsteps, hurriedly striding away from the ready room door. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Savior, Part I</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello lovelies. I know it's been a long time. But I come bearing gifts! This chapter ended up being longer than I expected so I split it. The latter half should be done soon.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Pain.</p><p>It’s the first thing that greets Gabriel as he regains consciousness.</p><p>The sick feeling of being internally flayed rushes back with such intensity that he almost vomits. His stomach roils again as the disgustingly potent scent of body odor and urine hits him. Fleetingly, he wishes that he hadn’t woken up.</p><p><em>Not the attitude to have Lorca</em>. <em>You’re alive, even if you are lying in your own filth.</em></p><p>Blue eyes open and sweep the room blearily, taking in what they can from his fetal position on the floor. No sound reaches his ears aside from his own breathing and the low hum of machinery.</p><p>His neck is excruciatingly stiff and Gabriel grimaces when he swallows, mouth dry and cottony. The little bit of saliva he can muster brings awareness of a throat raw from screaming. He turns, unfurling as best he can and pulling his head away from where it was mashed against the cool, reinforced glass. Every muscle trembles uncontrollably and he curses the abuse he’s allowed his body to endure.</p><p>He manages to sit up enough to slump against the wall, head spinning with fragments of thought as he tries to recall where he is and why.</p><p>Agonizer. Prisoner. Shenzhou. <em>Michael</em>.</p><p>He shifts again and groans, the sticky, damp shroud of sweat making his clothes cling to every inch of him and he painstakingly tries to stand. Using the booth for support, he staggers to his feet and hisses as the material chafes against the tender flesh of his groin.</p><p>
  <em>Piss has long dried. Must have the diaper rash from hell. </em>
</p><p>Gabriel rolls his eyes shut and lets out a strained sigh, his breath fogging up the clear pane.</p><p>His little stint in Michael’s universe had spoiled him. Had cultivated a softness in him that hadn’t been present before. His former self would’ve spat in his face in revulsion for succumbing to the, by his standards, mild treatment he’d received. He’d been through worse than this, though it had been so very long since he’d last felt the complete, unrelenting torture of an agonizer. The electrifying impulses had ravaged the synapses of his nervous system, overstimulating his body repeatedly, and never allowing a reprieve.</p><p>There had been no concept of time. It could’ve been weeks or months that he’d been here, but he had a feeling that wasn’t the case. He could only hope Michael was still alive and playing her role well enough to fool everyone. His plan depended on her as much as it did himself.</p><p>A more focused glance around the brig reveals he’s the only inhabitant.</p><p>
  <em>There were others here when they brought me in. Must have been executed. I’m still here, so Michael is probably okay. But why did they shut off the-</em>
</p><p>The door swishes open and two members of the security detail walk in, one approaching his booth and the other the control console. The one nearest him, a man, is wearing a disdainful frown, sneering out, “Oh good, you’re awake. Which means we don’t have to carry your sorry ass.”</p><p>“Delaney, you know he’s dangerous. I told you one of us should’ve stayed in here to watch him after we shut off the booth. Keep your distance,” his companion warns.</p><p>“Yeah, yeah.”</p><p>The officer referred to as Delaney backs away as the door opens, and Gabriel makes it out two steps before collapsing.</p><p>
  <em>Damn. Booth messed me up more than I thought. </em>
</p><p>“So much for dangerous. He’s so weak he can’t even stand. Get up, you treacherous piece of shit!”</p><p>A swift kick connects with Gabriel’s ribs and, along with the previous torture, makes him too slow to dodge the punch to the face.</p><p>“Aaghh!”</p><p>He falls over onto his side, a stabbing pain radiating from the blow to his chest and combining with the discomfort blooming in his jaw. Breathing harder than he’d like, Gabriel staggers back to a kneeling position, glaring daggers at the man.</p><p>“You’ve just earned yourself a date, lieutenant. It’ll be a pleasure seeing how long you last before you die. I hope you can hold out for longer than I expect,” Gabriel says hoarsely, spitting blood onto the pristine floor.</p><p>
  <em>Just wait. I’ll have you strung up and vivisected as evening entertainment during dinner.</em>
</p><p>“What did you say, you bastard?!” The soldier pulls his fist back and launches it at Gabriel, but two hands restrain his arm before it connects.</p><p>“What the hell is wrong with you?!” the other officer yells, shoving the man away. “He already looks like he’s about to keel over. If you’re done flirting, we need to get moving. She said for him to be there in twenty minutes and we still have to get him cleaned up,” she says.</p><p>“Stop your bitching, Moritz. He’ll be fine, just wanted to teach him some respect.”</p><p>Moritz steps up beside her partner, her phaser trained on Gabriel’s chest.</p><p>“No funny shit Lorca. I won’t hesitate to fry you.”</p><p>“I doubt that, sweetheart,” Gabriel replies, trying for a smug smile that’s more of a bloody grimace. “I imagine your captain wouldn’t be happy if you put me out to pasture. You and your friend here could kiss your asses goodbye.”</p><p>“Looks like we’ve got a comedian on our hands,” the other man snaps.</p><p>Delaney reaches down to cuff Gabriel and seizes him by the neck to haul him to his feet. The jostling around sends more pain shooting through his head and chest, and he can just barely suppress a grunt, clamping down hard on his lower lip to prevent its release. He breathes shallowly through his nose, trying not to irritate his ribs further and hoping it’s not more than a fracture.</p><p>They march him out of the brig and down the main hallway, heading toward the showers.</p><p>“But like I was saying, it’s weird,” Delaney whispers, as they weave around personnel in the narrow halls.</p><p>Gabriel can only hear bits and pieces, his ears straining to filter the rest of the conversation from the background noise of other crewmen.</p><p>“Why would…interrogating again? ...as good as everyone says…what she needed… the first time, right? ...or send…do it.”</p><p>“Delaney, shut…don’t know how…old ship, but… ass in gear…don’t blaspheme...captain...way to end up…and…beamed with you,” she hisses.</p><p><em>Smart girl,</em> Gabriel thinks wryly after putting together the subtext, and he steps a bit closer to try to catch everything this time.</p><p>The idiot must’ve said something negative about Michael. Under the old leadership, the mouthy jackass would’ve been stardust by now. Lucky for him, the current captain was an imposter with a heart of gold.</p><p>“Blaspheme? What is she, a god?” the other man asks loudly.</p><p>“She might as well be. All this time we thought she was fucking dead and here she is, after tracking down and capturing the man who attempted to murder her. Show some respect and keep your mouth closed.”</p><p>“Fine, don’t have to get in my ass about it.”</p><p>The chatter ceases and they continue to lead Gabriel like a wayward sheep through the ship that he knows nearly as well as his own. He averts his eyes, keeping them on the glossy black boots in front of him, trying not to get too absorbed in thoughts of the past.</p><p>
  <em>Stay focused. Run through the plan again. Look for any holes.</em>
</p><p>They would board the <em>Charon</em> after Michael tracked down her files regarding the <em>Defiant</em>, though she wouldn't need the information in the long run. Gabriel was getting impatient. Surely news had gotten around that the infamous Butcher of the Binaries was back with a vengeance. Georgiou would want an audience with her estranged daughter and Michael could hopefully fool her long enough to stall. Meanwhile, he’d escape imperial custody and rally his people.</p><p>He was so close to finally destroying the bitch who'd stolen everything from him.</p><p>Gabriel’s eyes land on a petite soldier ahead of them and when she turns, it’s <em>her</em>. She’s walking toward him steadily, hips swaying, mischievous sepia eyes gleaming with a secret only the two of them know. She passes him by as if he means nothing at all to her, and Gabriel blinks rapidly, whirling around, her name on the tip of his tongue, but no one’s in the hall aside from his detail and a few men.</p><p>A wave of dizziness hits and he realizes he’s stopped in the middle of the corridor, his detail inspecting him perfunctorily.</p><p><em>Get it together</em>, he thinks. Hallucinations were a common side effect of sleep deprivation and the booths, but he didn’t think they’d be so…vivid.</p><p>“Come on, Lorca. We’ve got to move,” Moritz insists, shoving him lightly in the back and he trudges on, lost in a sea of memories and déjà vu.</p><p>He’d been irritated at first by the little games Michael had played in the early days of their relationship, but they’d turned him on all the same and <em>damn...</em> Being <em>here</em> of all places, seemed to stab him in the heart until it was a lumpy, bleeding mess of how much he still missed her.</p><p>
  <em>Michael…I’m gonna make it happen. Like I promised you.</em>
</p><p>They arrive at the showers and Delaney grudgingly helps him undress, but immediately cuffs him again. He longs for real water on his skin and the ability to scrub himself down, but it’s still more than he expected to receive. A grateful moan slips from him as the first sonic pulse hits, and he turns carefully to mitigate the pressure on his new injuries. Sighing, he leans into the steady vibrations and they gradually beat away the grime of his incarceration.</p><p>Before he can start to really enjoy it, it’s time to go. They hurriedly force him through the rest of his ablutions and herd him to the captain’s quarters with two minutes to spare.</p><p>The door opens and his pulse is jumping in his throat, excitement and apprehension simultaneously spinning in his gut, and not helping his overtaxed body. The three of them step into the room, the members of his detail saluting automatically.</p><p>It’s dark inside, darker than he kept his ready room on <em>Discovery</em>, and he's hit with a wave of nostalgia as he surveys the room. The previous captain hadn't changed much, and he frowns curiously before making out the shape of Michael in the corner. She drifts closer to the newcomers, swift and silent, her hand resting on the sheathed dagger at her hip. Her eyes flick over Gabriel’s visage briefly and she addresses the officers.</p><p>“About time you got him here. You were nearly late. Do I have to tell you what happens to those who keep me waiting?" she asks sharply.</p><p>“No, sir,” the soldiers say in unison.</p><p>“Good. Find security chief Tyler and inform him that he’s to report to me in exactly four hours. You two are dismis-”</p><p>She stops mid-sentence, her face pulled into a confused frown as she comes to a halt in front of them. A hand darts out and grips Gabriel firmly, but gently by the chin, turning his head this way and that.</p><p>Their eyes meet and the tip of her thumb drags across the corner of his mouth in the slightest of motions. Gabriel swallows hard. Her fingers tell him all she can’t say. All she yearns to say. He wants to press a kiss into her palm, against her mouth and every inch of her that he can reach. Let her know that he’s glad she’s okay, but they each have roles to play.</p><p>He’s come too far to undermine it all now.</p><p>Like a fire starved of oxygen, the warmth in Michael’s eyes sputters and dies, and they narrow in anger.</p><p>“I recall saying that Lorca was not to be <em>touched</em>,” she whispers, voice low with menace.</p><p>Gabriel is surprised to find he can’t tell if it’s real or fabricated.</p><p>“Which one of you would like to explain <em>why</em> my prisoner is bruised and bloodied?”</p><p>The danger radiating from her is astounding. For a moment he’s convinced that this isn’t Michael, his innocent and sweet science specialist, but <em>Michael</em>, his devious hellcat and ruthless warrior.</p><p>“Captain, he had to be subdued once we retrieved him from the booth,” Delaney speaks up.</p><p>“You mean to say that a man who’s been in an agonizer for <em>two straight days</em> had the energy and wherewithal to attack you after being released?” she says in mock incredulity.</p><p>She smiles and it’s a sharp, predatory thing, head tilted like she’s observing a naughty child freshly caught in a lie. “Even for the infamous Gabriel Lorca, I find that doubtful. If I were to review the security feed, then it would support your account of what occurred <em>precisely</em>, correct?”</p><p>Delaney hesitates just a minute too long and Michael backhands him viciously. He cries out as he falls back and cracks his head against the wall. Gabriel’s brows shoot up before he hastily rearranges his expression and he watches Michael stalk toward the other guard.</p><p>Moritz is breathing rapidly but holds her ground, studiously looking at the floor, while her partner slumps against the wall holding his nose.</p><p>“Last chance," Michael says and the hiss of her dagger leaving its sheath is loud in the room. She presses it into Moritz's neck and the woman whimpers, a dribble of blood running over the sharp blade.</p><p>Gabriel is mesmerized. She's always been beautiful, but here, right now, she was breathtaking. He had to wonder if she was truly that concerned and angry over his mistreatment, or if she was only fulfilling her duty, trying to be as close to the other Michael's personality as possible. He hoped in his heart it was the former.</p><p>He watches as Michael's eyes follow the trail of blood that coats the blade and realizes something is wrong. Notices as her hand tightens on the hilt to keep the blade from wavering. Her mouth twitches, the corners pulling down like she's in pain and her eyes go glassy, but then the moment is gone as quick as it came. When she speaks, her voice is steady with the same frigid tone from before.</p><p>"What happened?” Michael asks, eyes burning into the other woman like the blistering cold of the black void just beyond the window.</p><p>“Delaney attacked Lorca after we released him from the booth,” Moritz rushes out, looking at the sharp steel nestled against her throat.</p><p>“And you did <em>nothing</em> to prevent him from disobeying a direct order?” Michael questions suspiciously.</p><p>“I-it all happened so fast, sir. I didn’t have time and I was more concerned with getting Lorca to you.”</p><p>“I see.”</p><p>Michael removes the blade and her other hand reaches out. With viper-like reflexes she grasps the woman by the face, her fingertips digging into Moritz’s cheeks.</p><p>“Take him to the booths,” she whispers, eyes flashing. “Leave him there until you’re told to retrieve him. The next time he lies to my face, he’s a dead man.”</p><p>She smiles again, cold and crazed and Moritz shudders.</p><p>“Yes, sir,” she slurs through the harsh grip.</p><p>Michael releases her with a push and the terrified woman trips, catching herself at the last second. She kneels to grab her fellow officer, and hurriedly helps him shuffle toward the door.</p><p>“And lieutenant?” Michael says silkily, halting their escape. “If you fail to be proactive in the future…you’ll join him.”</p><p>“Yes, captain,” the woman replies anxiously, rushing out of the room.</p>
<hr/><p>Moritz stumbles into the hall with a wide-eyed Delaney, gasping and shaking, her legs turning to jelly and refusing to support her. She falls to her knees, her hand reaching to stymie the blood leaking sluggishly from her wound and breathes a sigh of relief when she hears the solid click of the lock behind them.</p><p>Captain Lorca was an egotistical, backstabbing bastard, and deserved every bit of what was coming to him. Moritz and every other crew member on the <em>Shenzhou</em> eagerly awaited justice for his transgressions against their captain. She didn't like the man by any means, but she had to admit to a small inkling of admiration. After what just transpired, he was either the most courageous man she'd ever met or completely insane.</p><p>Because if she were him she would have done everything in her power, going so far as to <em>kill</em> herself, to not end up alone in a room with Michael Burnham.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>We'll get to see what happens behind closed doors in the next chapter...</p><p>Full transcript of Delaney &amp; Moritz's conversation: </p><p>D: Why would she bother interrogating him again? If she's as good as everyone says then she'd have gotten what she needed the first time, right? Or if she didn't, she could send someone else to do it.</p><p>M: Delaney, shut the fuck up. I don't know or care how things were done on your old ship, but you better get your ass in gear around here. You don't blaspheme the captain. That's a guaranteed way to end up transported into the void, and I don't want to get beamed with you!</p>
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